Egg gourds (also called Japanese egg gourd) are gourds that can be used for decorations or used to encourage hens to lay eggs in a particular nesting box. They are not used for food. Many people report that their Grand parents used egg gourds in their hen house nests to fool their chickens. The hen sees the gourd, thinks it is an egg and decides to start setting her eggs there. Hens often get stressed when you  remove their eggs. If you replace a few of  the eggs with egg gourds the hen will think her eggs are still there and safe so she will continue to lay her eggs in the same nest every day. Another important reason for using egg gourds in the nest is to teach your hen where to lay her eggs because many times hens will start hiding their eggs from you because they do not want you to take them. Basically, using egg gourds to fool your hens can relieve their stress from egg loss and train them to lay eggs where you want them.
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